Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: Greek, from meta- ( META-) + morphe 'shape'

metamorphosis

 noun
     
Related topics: Biology
met‧a‧mor‧pho‧sis plural metamorphoses [uncountable and countable]
1 formal a process in which something changes completely into something very different [= transformation]:
It took me some time to undergo the metamorphosis from teacher to lecturer.
the metamorphosis of China under Deng's economic reforms
2HB a process in which a young insect, frog etc changes into another stage in its development:
Beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis in their life cycle.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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